Mail-box.



a. 1. 0LIVER..

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION nun uov. 29, 1916.

Patented Apr. 9,1918.

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10 Zlmwwtom Y ROY J. OLIVER, OFPRESGOTT, ARIZONfA;

MAIL-BOX:

Specification-of LettersPatent;

Patented- Apr. '9, v1918.

- Application filed November 29,1916: SeriaINo. 134,166;

To all whom z't'may concern:

Be itk nownthat I, Roy- J Omvnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing'at Prescott, in the county of Yavap'ai. and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements'in lVIail- Boxes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to-certain improvements in mail boxes and it is'an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character with novel and improved means whereby a signal may be given when mail has been deposited within the box.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedn'iail'boxincluding a movably supported receiving receptacle which, when moved in one direction or adjusted into open position, serves to close a circuit for an electrically operated signal in order to direct attention to the fact that mail has been deposited within said receiving receptacle.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved mail box whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and other wise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View taken through a mail box constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention adjacent the end thereof in which is positioned the receiving receptacle;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through my improved mail box at the end portion thereof opposite to that through which the section shown in Fig. 1 is taken; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, H denotes a housing of predetermined dimensions and preferably rectangular in elevation and which has its interior provided with the transversely disposed partition 1 affording the compartments a and b. The

compartment a has itsouter face closed byasuita-ble door Q'and is adapted tohave arrangecltherein anypreferred source 'of electrical energy preferably a drycell- C.

Disposedthrough the partition 1- and extending-withinthe compartment 6 is the stationarycontact 3 in electrical connection with the cell C through the medium of the conductor 4, saidcell G being alsoin electrical connection through the medium of the conductor Switha'signaLS herein disclosed as a bell of conventional construction. hile I have hereinbefore referred to only a single cell C, it'is to be understood that any number of cells m-ay be employed as'the requirements'of practice may-necessi tate.

R denotes a receivingreceptacle substantially diamond-shaped in side elevation and which has its lower end portion hingedly connected, as at 6, to the rear wall 7 of the housing H or other support at a predetermined point above the bottom 8 of the housing, while the upper outer marginal portion of said receptacle R is adapted to be engaged by a spring latch 9 or the like for normally maintaining the receptacle R in its elevated or closed position. The space 10 below the receptacle R serves as a compartment to receive mail to be collected while the mail to be delivered is adapted to be applied within the receptacle.

The rear wall of the receptacle R has secured thereto the lower end portion of a spring contact member 11 extending above the top of the receptacle and rearwardly curved, as indicated at 12, said portion 12 being adapted to engage the contact 3 here inbefore referred to. The spring contact member 11 is electrically connected with the signal S through the medium of the conductor 14 whereby it will be at once self-evi dent that when the receptacle R is lowered or adjusted into open position for the deposit of mail therein, the spring contact 11 will engage the contact 3 and thereby close the circuit through the conductors 4, 5 and 14, whereby the signal S will operate. It will also be self-evident that the spring contact 11 coacts with the contact 3 to limit the downward movement of the receptacle R.

In order to facilitate the manipulation of the receptacle B into either open or closed position, I find it of advantage to provide the outer face of the receptacle adjacent the upper portion thereof with the handle 15.

I also find it of advantage to provide the outer face of the receptacle R with the visual opening 16 normally closed by glass or other transparent material.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a mail box constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

A device of the character described comprising a housing, a vertically disposed member mounted within the housing and supported at its lower end for rocking movement, a horizontally disposed stationary contact member extending through the housing, said stationary contact member being disposed in a direction at right angles to the path of travel of the rocking member and positioned above the member and supported by opposed walls of the housing, one end portion of the stationar contact member extending through one 0 said walls, and a second contact member carried by the rocking member and extending therebeyond, the free end portion of said second contact member being curved, said curved portion being engageable with the stationary contact member upon movement of the rocking member in one direction, both of said contact members being in communication with a source of electrical energy.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROY J. OLIVER.

\Vitnesses C. E. TRUEx, A. B. Wns'r.

Oopiel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

